Pocono Township paying less for more leadership

Despite taking on new employees within administrative levels, Pocono Township is paying less for its top employees than it did before the current regime took over.

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By MICHAEL SADOWSKI

poconorecord.com

By MICHAEL SADOWSKI

Posted Feb. 18, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By MICHAEL SADOWSKI

Posted Feb. 18, 2013 at 12:01 AM

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Despite taking on new employees within administrative levels, Pocono Township is paying less for its top employees than it did before the current regime took over.

Salaries for top employees — including the positions occupied by township supervisors — are budgeted in 2013 at about 18 percent less than they were in 2011, according to the township's 2013 budget.

In 2011, the township was paying a total of $256,301 in salaries for the positions of secretary/treasurer, assistant secretary/treasurer, director of the Department of Public Works, township administrator, sewage enforcement officer and zoning officer.

In 2013, the township is — or will be — budgeted to spend $210,200 in salaries on those positions. That sum represents salaries only and does not include health, pension or Social Security costs.

The biggest savings come in the positions of zoning and sewage enforcement officers. The township decided to do away with the full-time positions early in 2012 and use outsiders to handle both duties.

In their final year at the township, the two positions combined to earn $110,429. The township has budgeted $20,000 this year for the department.

The township added a township administrator, Frank Froio, in 2012 and renewed for 2013 — a salary not on the books in 2011. He made $65,000 last year and is budgeted to make $70,200 this year. His salary does not include benefits.

This year, the township added an assistant secretary/treasurer to the full-time payroll. Supervisor Frank Hess held the job in 2011, with a budgeted salary of $36,000.

The township did not pay for the position last year, but this year, Supervisor Harold Werkheiser is being paid as a full-time employee in the job at $31,200.

None of the supervisors — Henry Bengel, Hess and Werkheiser — were paid on time for most of January. They all received retroactive pay once the township's Board of Auditors finally set their salaries on Jan. 28.

Werkheiser's 2013 salary isn't figured into the budget yet. Froio said it likely will be included in a supplemental budget addition in April.